BHUBANESWAR: As many as 35 railway projects measuring 4,609 km and costing about Rs 55,759 crore, are under different stages of execution in the state. Replying to the questions by Jajpur MP Sarmistha Sethi and Jagatsinghpur MP Rajashree Mallick, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha that 1,039 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs 21,729 crore incurred up to March this year. The projects fall fully and partly in Odisha.
The projects sanctioned till April included 11 new lines, one gauge conversion and 23 doubling of lines. Completion of any railway project depends on factors like quick land acquisition by the State government, forest clearance, deposition of share by the State in cost sharing projects, he said.
Besides, shifting of infringing utilities, statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order situation in the area of projects and climatic conditions also play major roles. “Some of the railway projects have been delayed due to land acquisition and other clearances. Though confirmed time frame for completion of projects cannot be ascertained at this stage, Indian Railways is making all the efforts for expeditious completion of projects,” Vaishnaw told the Parliament.
Average annual budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works during 2014-19 has been enhanced to Rs 4,126 crore per year from Rs 838 crore per year during 2009-14, which is up by 392 per cent during the period. The highest ever budget outlay of Rs 9,734 crore was provided for these projects in 2022-23, which is 1,062 pc more than the average annual budget outlay of 2009-14, the Minister informed.